


Going off course

by Lusethxii



Series: Bokuakakuro week 2016 [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, M/M, Multi, Road Trips, They get lost and yea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-09 06:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6893998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lusethxii/pseuds/Lusethxii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bokuto and Kuroo convince Akaashi to go on a road trip with them but less than half a day into their journey, Bokuto is crying, Kuroo is trying to stop the car from crashing while Akaashi has resigned to his fate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going off course

Akaashi Keiji isn't sure how his boyfriends Bokuto and Kuroo got him to agree to go on a road trip with them. He vaguely remembers it being reasoned somewhere along the lines of everyone getting their driving licenses, so a road trip was a must. Anyhow, the younger boy plans out the journey, putting days into meticulously looking over attractions and mapping out a route. Days which quickly went down the gutter as Bokuto Koutarou takes the wrong turn off the highway.

"I'm sooo sorry!" Bokuto cries, hot tears spilling down his cheeks.

"Okay okay! Just keep your eyes on the road until we can pull over!" Kuroo urges, reaching his hands across from the passenger seat to steady the wheel.

Akaashi just sighs deeply, rubbing his temples from where he sat in the backseat.

 

* * *

 

They had rented a silver Toyota sedan for the trip and had even gotten a discount on it because the GPS wasn't working. Akaashi figured they could do it the old way, navigating with a map and roadsigns.

The trip started out with Kuroo driving while Akaashi directed from the passenger seat. Bokuto was in the backseat, content with watching the scenery go by. However, after a while, simply sitting around had made Bokuto restless and he started to ask if he could drive. Akaashi knew from experience that Bokuto was terrible at reading maps, but Kuroo had been driving for hours and Akaashi hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night. He had been hoping to take a nap while Kuroo was driving but with Bokuto constantly asking where they were going he never got the chance to.

"Come on, let him drive! We're going on the highway soon; there's not much map-reading needed there, he just has to keep the car going and then take the right exit off," Kuroo shrugged. He had been driving for the past few hours, though most if had been spent stuck in dreary Tokyo traffic and his shoulders were getting stiff.

"Pleaseeeee Akaashi! I wanna drive too! Weren't we all gonna take turns to drive?" Bokuto whined, kicking his feet restlessly.

"Okay fine, I'll show you which exit to take," Akaashi sighed, giving in. Bokuto cheered and Kuroo grinned as he pulled the car over. Bokuto got out and moved to the driver's seat while Kuroo swapped over to the passenger side and Akaashi crawled into the backseat.

"I'm going to take a nap so you better watch him, Kuroo-san," Akaashi warned as he laid down on his side and tucked his knees against his chest.

"Aye aye," Kuroo nodded, pulling out the map.

Soon after Akaashi fell asleep with their usual bantering in the background.

A few hours later when he wakes up again is where his plans pretty much derail. Akaashi yawns as he sits up in his seat, his first question being where they are.

"Oh we just got off the highway," Kuroo says, turning his head back to glance at his boyfriend.

"Ah okay, exit 6 right?" Akaashi quips.

"Yeap!" Bokuto answers, sparing a quick glance at Akaashi.

"Wait..." Kuroo narrows his eyes as they pass a road sign. He quickly pulls up the map again to check against it. "...Shit. I think we took the wrong exit."

Akaashi tells himself to take a deep breath.

"Give me the map," he says calmly, but firmly.

The map is handed to him without hesitation. Akaashi scans the map, tracing the road they were supposed to be on and noting that the same of the road...does  _not_ match the previous road sign. Instead, it appears that they are on another road entirely, one much further off. It seems that Bokuto had indeed taken the wrong exit off the highway. Akaashi leans back in his seat and sighs loudly. He had one job.

"A-Akaashi?" Bokuto stutters, sneaking a few more glances at the backseat.

"You took the wrong exit," Akaashi affirms. His grave tone makes Bokuto squirm in his seat.

Noticing that his boyfriend beside him was about to cave into his dejected mode, Kuroo tries to salvage the situation by diffusing the blame.

"I-I didn't notice it was the wrong exit either!"

"We can't go back and a detour would take forever," Akaashi continues, slumping lower into his seat.

Then Bokuto promptly explodes with the waterworks.

"I'm sooo sorry!"

Kuroo quickly reaches for the wheel to steady the car as it starts to sway, just like Bokuto's mood. Akaashi, in the backseat, has already given up and could care less if he crashed the car.

 

* * *

 

"Bokuto, pull over," Kuroo urges once they could pull over. Thankfully, Bokuto manages to do it just fine, parking the sedan at the side of the road without running onto the grass.

"I just ruined everything didn't I?" Bokuto sobs, leaning on the wheel as his lips quivered. "Akaashi won't even talk to me now."

"Look, we'd figure something out," Kuroo sighs, pulling out a tissue to wipe at the mix of tears and snot all over his boyfriend's face.

"Mhmm," Bokuto sniffles, trying to ease the tears.

"Gross," Kuroo comments as he scrunches up and disposes another used tissue into the bin on the side. But when he turns back to Bokuto with a fresh piece, his gaze is soft.

When Bokuto finally clears up the waterworks, Kuroo pats his head lightly, receiving a small smile from the golden-eyed boy. The dark-haired boy then turns his attention towards his other boyfriend, who is still sulking in the backseat. Kuroo grabs a packet of rice crackers from the glove compartment and tosses it at him. Despite frowning, Akaashi accepts it, tearing open the packet to nibble at the crackers.

After it seems like Bokuto and Akaashi have calmed down, Kuroo climbs out of the car, shuffling out of the claustrophobic car and feeling warm asphalt under his sneakers. Being able to get some fresh air and to stretch out their limbs felt good, at the very least. The two follow suit, Bokuto basking in the bit of early afternoon sun, clad in his tank top, cargo shorts and sandals. Akaashi, on the other hand, is more thankful for the cloudy weather, stretching in his combination of a T-shirt, black jeans and Vans. After watching life return to their faces, Kuroo pulls out the map again from the back pocket of his jeans to revisit their predicament.

On the route Akaashi had initially planned out, there was an owl sanctuary, a small amusement park, a hot spring and an inn where they could stay the night. As for the road they have ended up on, there is - as far as they could see - absolutely nothing. Even around them, there seem to be only endless patches of grass.

"We could just drive," Kuroo shrugs.

"Okay, you drive," Akaashi says, climbing back into the backseat.

Bokuto rides shotgun while Kuroo gets into the driver's side, rolling up the sleeves on his red plaid shirt. The sedan starts up again, pulling into the road to continue their journey. Kuroo drives the car through rural roads, winding through fields of vegetation. Since it was quiet, Kuroo puts on a song.

_Love buckles under the strain of those wild nights_

_Run but you cannot hide_

Akaashi watches the scenery roll by around them, transitioning from plain fields to lush forests. It was pretty relaxing, he admits - being curled up against the leather seat of their rented Toyota; watching a generous amount of greenery, rare where he lived in Tokyo; with a soothing song playing. Initially he had mostly been upset because he thought Bokuto would have really wanted to visit the owl sanctuary and Kuroo might have been looking forward to the amusement park. Now he feels strangely content to be cruising through winding roads that seem to be going through the very heart of nature. For once maybe it was fine that things don't go according to plan.

_You sit and try sometimes but you just can't figure out what went wrong_

_Then out of nowhere somebody comes and hits you with an_

"Ooh la la la~" Kuroo starts humming along with the song.

After a beat Bokuto joins in too, singing brightly.

"Ooh la la la~ Ooh la la la ooh~"

Then Akaashi finds himself humming along too. When the song ends they turn to look at each other, cracking smiles.

"Hey hey wanna play a game?" Bokuto pipes up.

"Yea?" Kuroo encourages, lowering the music even though Bokuto can easily speak over it.

"Guess what I'm thinking!"

Ooh Akaashi knows this one.

"You're thinking of that owl vine you sent both of us last night," he answers, not missing a beat.

"Akaashi! How did you know?" Bokuto exclaims in surprise. Kuroo snickers.

"You're too easy to read," Akaashi remarks, the corners of his lips quirking up in a smile.

Bokuto sinks back into his seat with a defeated pout. Kuroo takes one hand off the steering wheel to ruffle his boyfriend's hair.

"My turn, guess what I'm thinking," he says.

"Hmmm... you're thinking of... your neighbour's cat!" Bokuto guesses, sitting up in his seat.

"Haha yes I love that cat but wrong~" Kuroo hums, amused.

"Give us a hint?" Akaashi quips, raising an eyebrow.

"It's about one of you," Kuroo teases, clearly enjoying the game.

"You're thinking...if Akaashi is wearing boxers or briefs?" Bokuto suggests.

Akaashi chokes and Kuroo swerves the car. Thankfully, the road was empty and after returning the vehicle back to its lane, Kuroo bursts out in laughter.

"Oh my god Bokuto! Hahahaha!" Kuroo wheezes, slowing down the car so he can laugh. Bokuto seems delighted that he made Kuroo laugh, even though they could've crashed.

"Bokuto-san..." Akaashi buries his face in his hands, clearly at a loss for words.

"Okay I'll tell what I'm thinking," Kuroo says, keeping the vehicle steady this time. "I was thinking how pretty Akaashi's smile looked just now."

Now Akaashi is flushed red.

"Keep your eyes on the road," he mutters, turning his face towards the side windows instead. Kuroo chuckles, pleased at the response he gets.

 

* * *

 

Akaashi admits that he never thought he would be this close to the both of them. They had been his seniors in school, but they quickly got so familiar that they felt more like friends than upperclassmen. In a way their outgoing personalities had drawn him out of his shell quicker than anyone else ever had. Even thought their antics often have Akaashi trapped between embarrassment and worry, he still loved to watch them. Akaashi peers at them out of the corner of his eye for a moment, before returning his gaze to the scenery outside. It was changing again - apparently the forests had given way to a view of the ocean.

"It's the sea," Akaashi breathes.

"Where?" Bokuto sits up, trying to look past Kuroo at the view on the right side of the vehicle. They are, indeed, driving next to the ocean, though they were still a few ways above sea level. Kuroo grins and rolls down the window to let in some air.

"I can smell the sea!" A grin breaks out on Bokuto's face.

"Maybe we can find a beach," Akaashi muses. The sea breeze is refreshing, breathing new life into the car, that had previously smelled distinctly of lemon air freshener. The soft crash of waves resound in the distance, forming a steady and soothing rhythm. It makes them want to dig their barefeet in the warm sand, step into the cool water and breathe the saltwater air. Akaashi pulls out his phone, snapping photos of the stark white of the cloudy sky, the deep blue of the ocean and pieces of the road. After that he pulls out the map and checks their location against it.

"Kuroo-san, do you think this might be a beach?" Akaashi asks, showing him a small section of road that branches off from the road they are on.

"Mhmm, it might be."

 

* * *

 

It turns out that they are lucky enough to find a beach. Bokuto is the first one out of the car, sprinting towards the sea. Kuroo and Akaashi follow slowly, taking the time to stretch out their stiff limbs. The moment Akaashi feels the sand beneath his shoe, he grimaces. He doesn't want to get sand in his shoes. But sand will damn well get in them anyway, and it will stick all over his clothes too, he is sure. Kuroo watches him, an amused smile on his face. When Akaashi looks up, he realises Kuroo has already taken off his sneakers and rolled up his jeans. Well, he might as well do the same.

Akaashi pulls the Vans off his feet, rolling up the socks and stuffing them inside so he was barefoot. Then, he bends down to roll up his jeans - well, as far as skinny jeans can be rolled up. He leaves his shoes by the car, beside Kuroo's, and heads down to the beach where Bokuto is already waiting for them. The white-and-black-haired boy has already kicked off his sandals and stands at the shore, where the tide washes over his barefeet.

"Akaashi! Kuroo!" Bokuto waves and they pick up their pace.

Since it is already late afternoon, Akaashi thinks the water is probably too cold for swimming and that they might catch a cold if they did. He is perfectly content with feeling the warm sand under his feet, sinking slightly whenever he presses his weight into it. That along with letting the tide roll over his feet, cold water washing over his ankles that make him shiver.

Unfortunately, Bokuto and Kuroo do not settle for less when it comes to their beach experience. For them, going to the beach meant enjoying a hundred percent of it, especially that of the sea.

Once they exchange a grin, Akaashi knows what it is and tries to run. Unfortunately, his feet catches in the sand and his mishap allow the two to wrap their arms around him, lifting him up.

"Wait! Bokuto-san, Kuroo-san! The water's too-"

Whatever Akaashi's plea was is promptly cut off when he is thrown into the sea. The water swallows him, soaking him from head to toe and he even gets a generous taste of seawater. Akaashi scrambles to get up, but the damage has already been done.

Bokuto and Kuroo double over in laughter, even going as far as exchanging a high-five. Akaashi knows it is childish, but he couldn't  _not_ get revenge. Without breathing a word, he grabs both of their arms, tugging hard enough to pull them off balance that they fall into the sea with a loud splash.

"Akaaaaaaaashi!" Bokuto shrieks as he goes down while Kuroo lets out a garbled curse.

Aah. The sweet taste of victory. When his two boyfriends get up with their wet hair stuck very unattractively to their faces, Akaashi can't help laughing out.

"Akaashi, I can't believe you," Kuroo mutters, pushing the hair from his face.

"You guys started it," Akaashi counters playfully. He runs his fingers through Kuroo's hair, pushing back the loose strands he missed.

"Liking the new look?" Kuroo teases. Akaashi rolls his eyes and presses their lips together.

Kuroo's lips taste like seawater, confirming Akaashi's suspicion that he, too, had taken a generous drink of it earlier. They press their bodies closer together and despite being completely soaked, there's some heat and Akaashi thinks this is how they can avoid catching a cold. After their quick exchange of bodyheat, they pull away to look at Bokuto.

Bokuto is still half-crouched in the sea, prying hair gel from his hair. Well, he definitely seems upset about having his carefully styled hair ruined. Kuroo pulls him up while Akaashi pushes the hair from his face and kissed him too. When Bokuto reciprocated eagerly, Akaashi knows he has already gotten out of his slump.

"Akaashi!" A beam lights up on Bokuto's face. Kuroo grins and leans in to press a kiss to the side of his head. "K-Kuroo!"

There is a pause as they look between each other, hair and clothes thoroughly soaked. Then they break out laughing. Even Akaashi, who knows their jeans would never dry out and that the sand would stick around for ages, a stubborn souvenir from the sea. He thought that being on a beach they didn't know, soaked to the bone with the sun setting would have him worried but today he feels nothing short of liberation. Bokuto and Kuroo are really having an impact on him, he concludes.

"We'll have to change soon," Akaashi remarks as they trudge back up onto the shore. At least he made them pack a change of clothes.

"Yea," Kuroo replies, but his actions betray his words as he lies down on the sand instead. Akaashi, who was heading back to the car, sighs as he turns back towards his boyfriend.

"You'll never get the sand out of your hair." Akaashi lies down next to Kuroo, strategically planting his head on top of his chest.

Kuroo grumbles, realising his mistake. Bokuto goes over, also plopping his head on Kuroo's chest. Akaashi cracks a smile.

The dark-haired boy gives in to his predicament and pulls his arms around his boyfriends. Kuroo closes his eyes, listening to the rhythm of waves crashing against the shoreline and the soft intakes of breaths against his chest. While the contact is comfortable, the beach starts getting chilly as the sun slips over the horizon and the clouds glow orange. Reluctantly, Kuroo peels himself off the sand, tapping at his boyfriends to get up. Akaashi answers with a grumble, but obliges and starts to walk back to the car. Meanwhile, Bokuto only clings on tighter, forcing Kuroo to lift him if he wants to stand.

"B-Bokuto you ass!" Kuroo complains. Despite being a little shorter than him, Bokuto is by no means any lighter. Kuroo struggles to adjust his grip on Bokuto to even support his weight, all while Bokuto smiles like a child. Eventually Kuroo manages to fit his arms around Bokuto's back and legs, lifting him bridal style. He rolls his eyes, huffing. "The things I do for you, jeez."

Bokuto hums happily, enjoying Kuroo's attention. He reaches his hands up to Kuroo's head, carding his fingers through his hair to shake out the sand, while Kuroo sighed.

When they finally catch up with Akaashi at the car, he had already changed into his spare set of clothes.

"Did you guys get married?" Akaashi eyes them down.

"Not without you, Akaashi!" Bokuto beams. At that point, Kuroo's arms start to burn and he whispers to Bokuto that he has to put him down or he is just going to straight up _drop_ him. With a deflated sigh, Bokuto is lowered to his feet.

Akaashi watches them, amused. As Bokuto and Kuroo start to peel off their soaked clothes, Akaashi hands them bags to keep them in. Bokuto strips fairly quickly, reaching for a towel and wiping himself down before putting on a fresh set of clothes. Meanwhile, Kuroo struggles with his jeans. Akaashi watches in solemn understanding, having struggled very hard getting his wet skinny jeans off. He is thankful that his boyfriends had taken their time, knowing that Kuroo would no doubt take the opportunity to make terrible jokes. When Kuroo finally changes, Akaashi climbs into the car, starting the engine.

 

* * *

 

For the rest of the evening, Akaashi takes the wheel while Kuroo and Bokuto sit in the backseat. Following the map, he finds a gas station where they can refuel. While Akaashi sorts out the gas, Kuroo and Bokuto explore the convenience store.

"Akaashi, can we have this for dinner?" Bokuto asks, holding up a packet of chips.

"No." Akaashi frowns, snatching the packet of chips from his hand. However, a weak glance around the convenience store has him conclude that there aren't many healthy choices for dinner either. He can try driving to a town, but it was already getting late.

Kuroo picks up cup noodles and Akaashi sighs, defeated. It had been a long time since he'd had cup noodles, mostly because he had to watch his diet when training for volleyball. Well, they are out of high school now and Kuroo and Bokuto look strangely excited to be having cup noodles for dinner.

After paying for them (three different flavour: mushroom chicken, black pepper crab and spicy seafood), they top them up with hot water and find a spot in the parking lot to sit down and eat. In their excitement, Bokuto and Kuroo scald their tongues on the hot soup and Akaashi chides them for it. After that Bokuto tries to talk with his mouth full while Kuroo tries to steal bites from both of them. When Kuroo takes a bite of Akaashi's spicy seafood, his eyes water up and he chokes asking for water. Akaashi grabs water from the car, shaking his head in disbelief.

Finally, they finish their dinner and Kuroo takes hold of the empty plastic cups, getting up to look for a trashcan. Akaashi and Bokuto rest on the asphalt, finding it a little warmer than the night air.

"Akaashi, are you still angry at me?" Bokuto asks suddenly.

"No," Akaashi answers. Had Bokuto been thinking of that incident still? He shifts to face Bokuto. "Why would I be?"

Bokuto's face quite literally lit up as he tackles Akaashi to the ground in an embrace.

"Akaashi! Akaashi!!" Bokuto calls out his name, the syllables ringing brightly in his ear. Akaashi sighs fondly, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and pressing a kiss against his lips. As expected, he tastes the black pepper crab Bokuto just had for dinner.

 

* * *

 

Later Kuroo sleeps in the backseat while Akaashi drives and Bokuto rides shotgun, keeping him entertained enough to stay awake.

Akaashi drives slowly, letting the streetlights guide him and the sound of Bokuto's voice anchor him in staying conscious. He isn't all that sleepy, but he definitely doesn't want to doze off while driving. Bokuto is good at going off on his own, telling Akaashi about this or that interesting thing he saw the other day as Akaashi hums in reply. Occasionally there is a lull in Bokuto's chatter and they would sneak glances to check on Kuroo, who was already used to Bokuto's noise and could sleep through it.

After Akaashi and Bokuto both start yawning, they decide to pull over and wake Kuroo up. Then they rotate; Bokuto sleeps in the backseat, Akaashi rides shotgun while Kuroo drives.

"You sure you don't wanna sleep?" Kuroo chances a quick glance at Akaashi, who is not trying to sleep. "Afraid I'd take the wrong turn?"

"Maybe." He cracks a smile. Then he leans back and closes his eyes. He swears he still sees the streetlights flitting through the windows and Kuroo driving beside him, but the floating sensation is a definite sign that he had slipped into light slumber.

 

* * *

 

When Akaaashi wakes up again they are on the highway and it's early morning. He rubs the sleep out of his eyes and glances over at Kuroo, who is still driving.

"Kuroo? You're still driving?" He mumbles, the words coming out thick with sleepiness.

"Yea well we're almost home," Kuroo answers. "Had a good sleep?"

"Mhmm." Akaashi rubs his stiff neck and stretches his limbs - as much as he could in the sedan, anyway. "Is Bokuto still asleep?"

"Yeap, out like a log." Kuroo smiles.

"Is that traffic?" Akaashi scowls, leaning onto Kuroo's arm as their car slows to a stop. A little bit more comfortable than the stiff car seat. Kuroo laughs, pressing a quick kiss to Akaashi's head before hitting the gas as the cars ahead start to crawl again.

 

* * *

 

Thankfully the morning traffic cleared up just as Bokuto rises, having enjoyed a good night's sleep. He's full of energy, and is the only one upset to realise they are heading home.

"We have to play more road trip games!" He insists.

"Okay...you start," Akaashi answers with a yawn.

"I spy...something orange!" Bokuto starts.

"Orange car," Akaashi answers without opening his eyes.

"How did you know!? Man this isn't fun," Bokuto pouts, leaning back into his seat and crossing his arms over his chest.

"How 'bout we play that game where we guess what the other's thinking?" Kuroo suggests. He has to keep his eyes on the road and Akaashi is obviously too tired to play I-spy.

"Guess what I'm thinking," Akaashi mumbles.

"You're thinking about..." Bokuto stares really hard at Akaashi. "your bed?"

"Bingo," Akaashi says half-heartedly as he slides further down in his seat.

"Bed huh?" Kuroo raises his eyebrows. Akaashi shoots him a look that says 'I am too tired to deal with this' and Kuroo looks back at the road.

"Why doesn't this car have a coffee maker?" Akaashi frowns as he fiddles with the dashboard. Kuroo and Bokuto snickered. Akaashi shoots them an offended glare and Bokuto encourages him to join him in the backseat, to which the younger boy obliges. Akaashi climbs over the console clumsily, nearly kicking Kuroo in the face. Bokuto just smiles as he pulls Akaashi onto the seat beside him and let the dark-haired boy rest against his shoulder.

A few hours later, much to Akaashi's relief, they pull into his driveway. Bokuto takes Akaashi's bags out from the trunk, leaving them beside the younger boy as he yawns, again.

"It was fun, wasn't it?" Bokuto beams. Akaashi nods, smiling lazily.

"Yea, we didn't spend that much either." Since they didn't manage to visit the attractions Akaashi had marked out, they had only spent money on the car rental, toll gates, gas and cheap convenience store dinner.

"Oh," Bokuto's face lights up. "Does that mean we can go on another road trip?"

He looks eagerly between Akaashi and Kuroo for approval. Akaashi sighs while Kuroo grimaces.

"Can we talk about this after I've slept?" Akaashi yawns again. God, he was tired. He only had about two or three hours of sleep where he drifted off in the car.

"Yeap, take care, Akaashi!" Bokuto steps towards him, pulling the younger into a hug. Akaashi presses into the embrace and feels so comfortable he thinks he might drift off.

Bokuto pulls away before he does fall asleep, and Kuroo steps forward to press a gentle goodbye kiss against his lips.

"Don't worry about the car, I'd return it in time," Kuroo says as he pulls away.

Then he's waving and watching his boyfriends get in the car and wonders if the dizziness is how sleepy he is or how in love he is.

When Akaashi crawls into bed, he dreams of getting back in that silver Toyota sedan and driving forever on nameless side roads. He dreams of discovering beaches, empty parking lots and travelling deep into the mountains. And no matter how far he goes he never feels lost, because his boyfriends are in the car with him - their voices are his beacon, and he doesn't look at the map anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted to write a road trip fic for bokuakakuro, and honestly this took very long *laughs slowly*  
> Anyway, it sorta fit the theme for day 4 of bokuakakuro week, so yeap!  
> Also, the song played in the car is Mad sounds by Arctic Monkeys.


End file.
